HTC First vs. Galaxy S3 vs. Droid DNA: Facebook Phone Spec Showdown

After much adieu, we finally actually know what the Facebook Phone is. As it turns out, it’s not a phone from Facebook at all; It’s a modified version of the Android operating system that can run on multiple Android handsets. But only one phone – for the time being, at least – will come with the new Facebook Home interface pre-installed. HTC First act as the catalyst for your new Facebook experience, integrating the social network into every part of the device. Is it worth picking up the HTC First to get your Facebook fix? We take a look at how well the new handset, available April 12, stacks up to some of the best Android handsets available now.

HTC First

Galaxy S3

Droid DNA

Size

125.6 x 64.93 x 8.96mm

136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 (mm)

140.9 x 70.6 x 9.7 (mm)

Weight

124g

133g

140g

Screen

4.3-inch LCD

4.8-inch Super AMOLED

5-inch Super LCD 3

Resolution

1280×720 pixels

1280×720 pixels

1920×1080 pixels

OS

Android 4.1 with Facebook Home

Android 4.0 with TouchWiz UI

Android 4.1 with HTC Sense 4+

Storage

16GB

16/32GB

16GB

SD Card Slot

No

Yes

No

Processor

1.4GHz Dual-core Snapdragon 400

Dual-core Snapdragon S4 (US)

1.5GHz, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro

RAM

1GB

2GB

2GB

Connectivity

Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+

Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+

Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, EV-DO Rev.A

Camera

Front 1.6MP, Rear 5MP

Front 1.9MP, Rear 8MP

Front 2.1MP, Rear 8MP

Bluetooth

Yes, version 4.0

Yes, version 4.0

Yes, version 4.0

Battery

2000mAh

2100mAh

2020mAh

Charger

Micro USB

Micro USB

Micro USB

Marketplace

Google Play Store

Google Play Store

Google Play Store

Price

$100

$200+

$200

Availability

AT&T

AT&T, Sprint, T-Mob, Verizon

Verizon

Obviously, the biggest emphasis on the HTC First is its Facebook integration. But given that, you’d maybe expect a better camera. The 5-megapixel front-facing camera seems like it leaves a bit to be desired, assuming the phone is designed to encourage sharing. There’s also a bit of a shortage on storage solutions with the device. It’s 16GB of built in memory is pretty standard, but that’s as big as it gets with no SD card expansion. The Snapdragon 400 series is a nice inclusion, especially on a budget-priced device.

The fact that the HTC First’s runs Facebook’s Home UI is it’s big selling point, but you don’t have to have the First to get that experience. Facebook Home will run on a variety of different upcoming phones (including the HTC One and Galaxy S4) and will roll out for download on the same day the HTC First comes available. If you already have an Android device that is or will be compatible with Facebook Home, why get a new phone – especially one that isn’t breaking much new ground?